Blower



March 24, 1925.

F. H. C. COPPUS BLOWER Filed June 18, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. 30 ,m m w 2w .fi G 6% 3 mmm B 0 9 0 5 March 24. 1925.

F. H. C. COPPUS BLOWER Filed June 18, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application filed June 18, 1821.

To all whom, it may concern:

e it known that I, a citizen of the Unite lVorccster, in the con 5 Commonwe FRANS H. C. d States, nty of Worcester and alth of Massachusetts, have in- Corrus, residing at vented a new and useful Improvement in a Blower, of which the following, together with the accompanying dr fication.

The present invention relates owers, sucl and drafting tob purposes.

awings, is a specigenerally 1 as are used for ventilating More specifically,

theinvention contemplates improvements in a blower or conjunction with a vanes-the fan bein other turbine on its the invention conte ments means being The a frustro-conical casin end of blower. The casing 51 face a short segmental nipped with a plural ese nozzles 53 are so (1 steam fan whose in the lubri blades operate in set of stationary guide g driven by a steam or periphery. In addition, mplates radical improvecation and cooling of the bearings of the above and blowers, along with the employment 0 for counteracting end attainment of other ty es of f novel thrust, and predangerously ex- The above and other objects the construction of a blower escribed in detail, reference had to the accompanying drawings,

wherein- Figure 1 is a sectional embodying the invention.

position,

stack construction as which constitutes or other motive or ch here shown, g 51, the H view of a blower,

milar view, showing variln structural details. V ectional new on the line characters refer to like res.

blower, designated umeral 50, is shown in adapted to blow upas would preferably be the case where used in the smoke box of a locomotive, or disposed in the or in any other stack of a steam boat, imney.

provides arrng open the inlet to the provideson its sursteam chamber 52, ity of nozzles 53. is osed as to direct uid against the buckets or blades 54 of a turbine wheel 55, here shown as of the two-stage type, with the us ual reversing sector 56. The turbine against shoulder 69 of shaft 64 by Serial No. 478,578.

wheel proper is disposed in an annular chamber 57, which is formed by a flange 58 on casing 51, cooperating with a flange 59 on a superposed cylindrical casing 60, the latter providing an exhaust outlet 61 from the chamber 57.

he turbine wheel is carried directly upon the blades 62, 62, of a propeller fan, the hub 63 of which is mounted .upon and keyed to a shaft 64. The air which is handled by said fan is forced upwardly between a specially designed series of stationary guide vanes 62, so arranged as to direct the air, with a minimum of friction, into the conduit A, which for instance may be the stack of a locomotive or steam boat. The shaft 64 is journalled in suitable bearings, as hereinafter described, provided by a bearing housing 65, the latter being stationarily supported by means of a plurality of radial ribs 66, connecting it with the casing 51.

Then the blower is disposed vertically, as shown, the bearings must not only sustain the entire weight of the fan, the shaft and the turbine, but in addition must resist the high back pressure created by the ra id r0- tation of the fan blades. The resulting excessive end thrust on the bearings of the shaft 64 is counteracted by a construction which will now be described.

The bearing housing 65 which receives the shaft 64 provides 11 per and lower ball bearings 67 and '68. all bearing 67 is held a bushing 70, the latter belng engaged by the hub 63 of the fan. The lower ball bearing 68 is held against flange 71 of shaft 64 by a bushing 72, the latter bearing at its lower end against the hub 73 of an impeller 74, secured to shaft64 by a key, not shown, and by a nut 75. The ball bearings 67 and 68 are contained in a sleeve 76 that is telescoped within the housin 65 in spaced relation thereto, the sleeve 6 with said housing, as shown at 7 77; a flange 78 of sleeve 76 is secured to the housing 65 by the same bolts 79 that retain the housing 80 of impeller 74.

The impeller housing 80 provides an inlet 81 for the introduction of a liquid, such as water or oil. The rotation of shaft 64, by means of the steam turbine wheel secured to the blades of the fan procures the operation of the impeller 74 in such a manner as making a ta ered fit,

to circulate the fluid under pressure, delivering the same into channel 82, from whence ,the flow is through chamber 83 and passage 84into the space 85 between housing 65 and sleeve 76. This space- 85 is divided longitu dinally into two parts, by means of ribs or partitions 86. As a consequence, the liquid flows upwardly in one part, here shown as the right hand part, and then, passing through an opening 87 at the top, flows downwar y through the left hand part, discharging at 88 from the housing 65.

In this way, by the constant circulation of fluid, the bearings of the blower are.

. maintained fully and efliciently cool; it will readily be seen t at, if necessary, the circulatin fluid be re being returned to the inlet of the impeller can be passed throu h cooling coils, not shown, to remove he absorbed heat therefrom; or, if desired, the outlet 88 can be connected directly with the inlet 81.

In addition, and of the utmost importance, the circulation of this fluid by the impeller creates a. positive resistance for counteracting in a large measure the end thrust heretofore mentioned. The restricted passage 84 may be varied in any suitable manner to make this resistance greater or less, as the case may be, and the resulting pressure of the liquid all around the pump or impeller 7-1- is exerted reponderantly upon the under surface tiereof, thus counteracting the normal thrust in the opposite direction upon the bearings 67 and 68.

If the circulating fluid be a lubricant, such as oil, this expedient for cooling the bearings and counteracting the normal end thrust thereon, may also serve for their lubrication. To this end the shaft 6 1 may be provided with a central longitudinal passage 89, which at the top branches radially into two passages 90, 90, for communicating, through openings 91, 91, of bushin 70, with an annular space 92 above ball bearing 67.

The oil, under pressure, rises through the shaft and overflows into space 92, thence passing through the bearings 67 and 68 back to the inlet side of impeller 74. An overflow or by-pass for the excess oil is provided by a passage 93 in the sleeve 76. In this way, coincident with the cooling and partial balancing of the journal bearings of the blower, their lubrication is efficiently and thoroughly effected.

Still another function may be performed by this circulation of a secondary fluid by impeller 74. If the turbine driven blower attains an excessive speed, beyond a predetermined limit of safety, then obviously the pressure of this circulating secondary fluid will be very greatly increased; and this increase of pressure may be utilized in any well known manner, to operate a safety valve in the steam line 94 t at supplies the turbine of blower 4,7. In this way, an emelglgency governor for the turbine is provide the valve being shown diagrammatically at 95 as subject to the pressure of the seconds, fluid when the latter exceeds a predetermined limit.

When the blower is used for creating induced draft in the smoke box of a locomotiye, as proposed in my copending companion application, Serial No. 478,572 filed une 18, 1921, provision must be made for auxiliary draft ng means to be used in the event of any accident to the blower. As shown, the guide vanes 62' provide a central hollow hub ortion 103, which is adapted to receive a s eeve 104 having an end flange 105 which is secured to hub 103. The sleeve 104 provides an interior recess 106, the latter opening upwardly and outwardly, in a flaring manner, through the bore 107 of said sleeve. A steam suplply pi e 108 is carried downwardly througi sai .bore and is threaded to the bottom of the sleeve, said pipe having a plurality of o enings 109 in the plane of recess 106. If fbr any reason, the blower 50 is put out of commission, it is still possible to produce a draft in stack A by admitting steam to the pipe 108; such steam is discharged into the recess 106 and passes upwardly and outwardly through the bore 107 in the form of a jet so as to induce a draft sufficient to carry the products of combustion out of the smoke box ofthe locomotive or steam boat boiler, as the case may be, or out of any other stack or chimney. r

In the form of device shown in Fig. 2, the general construction of the blower casing, turbine and fan is the same as above described, the essential difference being in the manner of mounting and lubricating the shaft 110 of said fan. Said shaft is 'ournalled for rot-ative movement in suitable ushings 111 and 112 which are provided by a bearing housing 113, the latter being supported in the same way as the housing of Fig. 1. v

The shaft 110 is surrounded at its upper end by a ring 114, the latter preventing the escape of the fluid, for cooling and lubrication, which is circulated as before by an impeller or pump 115 on the lower end of said shaft. The circulation of such fluid, for the purpose of creating a force to counteract the end thrust on the shaft,

takes place in substantially the'same man Inn nor as in the form first described; the 7 bearing housing 113, in respect of its several passages and the ducts for the circulation of said fluid, being constructed like the bearing housing 65, and such passages and ducts, for convenience, being similarly numbered. The lubrication of the shaft 110 is accomplished by the provision of a passage 116 extending upwardly from the lower end of said shaft and having transverse branches 117 and 118 that communicalc with grooves 119 and 120, respectively,

it is rotating slowly, its downward thrust is taken on an end thrust bearing 121 of the usual type. .As soon however, as the shaft attains any speed, the pump 115 builds up a pressure in the circulating fluid which is sufficient, as previously described, to compensate for the end thrust of the shaft, so that the weight of the shaft and fan, together with the thrust occasioned by the rapid rotation of said fan, is relieved. In this way the thrust bearing 19.4 is relieved of pressure, and thus is allowed to idle, when the shaft is rotating at normal speeds.

I claim,

1. In a blower, a rotatable peripherally driven fan, bearings for said fan, and means operative by the rotation of said fan for circulating a cooling fluid around said bearin s under pressure, said fluid serving to lubricate said bearings by. gravity.

2. In a blower, a rotatable fan, a turbine for driving same, means operable by the rotation of said fan for circulating a cooling and lubricating fluid under pressure, and means responsive to excessive pressure of said fluid for throttling the supply of steam to said turbine.

3. In a blower, a rotatable fan, a shaft on which said fan is mounted, bearings for said shaft and a hub supporting said hearings, in combination with a centrifugal pump carried by said hub and driven by said shaft for circulating a lubricating fluid under pressure and a peripheral drive for said fan. 7

4. In a blower, a rotatable fan, a shaft on which said fan is mounted, bearings for said shaft and a hub supporting said bearings, in combination with a C611t1lfl\%tl pump carried by said hub and driven y said shaft for circulating a fluid under pressure, the pressure of said fluid being exerted in opposition to the end thrust of said shaft and fan on saidbearings, and peripheral driving means for said fan.

5.1a a blower, a rotatable fan, a. shaft on which said fan is mounted, bearings for said shaft and a hub supporting said bearings, in combination with a centrifugal pump carried by said hub and driven by said shaft for circulating a fluid/=under pressure, the pressure of said fluid being exerted in opposition to the end thrust oi. said shaft and fan on said bearings, means to regulate said pressure of said circulating fluid and peripheral driving means for said fan.

6. In a blower, a rotatable fan, a shaft on which said fan is mounted, bearings for said shaft and a hub supporting said bearings, in combination with a centrifugal pump carried by said hub driven by said shaft for circulating a cooling fluid around said bearings under pressure.

7. In a blower, a rotatable fan, a turbine for driving same, a centrifugal pump operable by the rotation of said fan for circulating a cooling and lubricating fluid under pressure, and means responsive to excessive pressure of said fluid for throttling the supply of steam to said turbine.

8. In a blower, a rotatable fan, a shaft on which said fan is mounted, bearings for said shaft and a hub supporting said bearings, in combination with means carried by said shaft for circulating a fluid under pressure, the pressure of said fluid being exerted in opposition to the end thrust of said shaft and fan on said bearings, and means to regulate said pressure of said circulating fluid.

9. The combination with a rotating shaft having bearings, of magnet operative by the rotation of said shaft for imparting pressure to a circulating fluid in opposition to the end thrust of said shaft, means for regulating the pressure of said circulating fluid, and means for procuring the lubrication of said bearings by gravity flow of said circulating fluid.

10. The combination with a blower having stationary guide vanes, of an auxiliary steam jet disposed centrally of said guide vanes, and peripheral driving means for said blower.

FRANS H. C. COPPUS.

lower end of said shaft and having transverse branches 1'17 and 118 that communicate with grooves 119 and 120, respectively,

it is rotating slowly, its downward thrust is taken on an end thrust bearing 12 of the usual type. As soon however, as the shaft attains any speed, the pump 115 builds up a pressure in the circulating fluid which is suflicient, as previously described, to compensate for the end thrust of the shaft, so that the weight of the shaft and fan, together with the thrust occasioned by the rapid rotation of said fan, is relieved. In this way the thrust bearing 124 is relieved of pressure, and thus is allowed to idle, when the shaft is rotating at normal speeds.

I claim,

1. In a blower, a rotatable peripherally driven fan, bearings for said fan, and means operative by the rotation of said fan for circulating a cooling fluid around said bearings under pressure, said fluid serving to lubricate said bearings by gravity.

2. In a blower, a rotatable fan, a turbine for driving same, means operable by the rotation of said fan for circulating a cooling and lubricating fluid under pressure, and means responsive to excessive pressure of said fluid for throttling the supply of steam to said turbine.

3. In a blower, a rotatable fan, a shaft on which said fan is mounted, bearings for said shaft and a hub supporting said bearings, in combination with a centrifugal pump carried by said hub and driven by said shaft for circulating a lubricating fluid under pressure and a peripheral drive for said fan.

a rotatable fan, a shaft on which said fan is mounted, bearings for said shaft and a hub supporting said bearings, in combination with a centrifu al pump carried by said hub and driven by said shaft for circulating a fluid under 4. In a blower,

pressure, the pressure of said fluid being exerted in opposition to the end thrust of said shaft and fan on said bearings, and peripheral driving means for said fan.

5."Ii1 a blower, a rotatable fan, a shaft on which said fan is mounted, bearings for said shaft and a hub supporting said bearings, 1n combination with a centrifugal pump carried by said hub and driven by said shaft for circulating a fluidnunder pressure, the pressure of said fluid being exerted in opposition to the end thrust of said shaft and fan on said bearings, means to regulate said pressure of said circulating fluid and peripheral driving means for said fan.

6. In a blower, a rotatable fan, a shaft on which said fan is mounted, bearings for said shaft and a hub supporting said bearings, in combination with a centrifugal pump carried by said hub driven by said shaft for circulating a cooling fluid around said bearings under pressure.

7. In a blower, a rotatable fan, a turbine for driving same, a centrifugal pump operable by the rotation of said fan for circulating a cooling and lubricating fluid under pressure, and means responsive to excessive pressure of said fluid for throttling the supply of steam to said turbine.

8. In a blower, a rotatable fan, a shaft on which said fan is mounted, bearings for said shaft and a hub supporting said bearings, in combination with means carried by said shaft for circulating a fluid under pressure, the pressure of said fluid being exerted in opposition to the end thrust of said shaft and fan on said bearings, and means to regulate said pressure of said circulating fluid.

9. The combination with a rotating shaft having bearings, of magnet operative by the rotation of said shaft for imparting pressure to a circulating fluid in opposition to the end thrust of said shaft, means for regulating the pressure of said circulating fluid, and means for procuring the lubrication of said bearings by gravity flow of said circulating fluid.

10. The combination with a blower having stationary guide vanes, of an auxiliary steam jet disposed centrally of said guide vanes, and peripheral driving means for said blower.

FRANS H. C. COPPUS.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1925, upon the application of Frans H. C. Coppus errors appear in 3, liwfi'i, claim 6, after the word 98, claim9, for Patent should be read with these corrections the record of the casein for an improvement in Blowers, quiring correction as follows: Page insert the word and, same page, ine means; and that the said Letters therein that the same may conform to Signed and sealed this 21st day of April, A.

[scan] 1,530,982, granted March 24, of Worcester, Massachusetts,

the printed specification re- ,3 the word magnet read the Patent Office.

KARL FENNING, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,530,982, granted March 24, 1925, upon the application of Frans H. C. Coppns, of Worcester, hlassachusetts, for an improvement in Blowers, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 77, claim 6, after the word hub insert the word and; same page, line 98, claim 9, for the word magnet read means; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thesecorrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of April, A. D. 1925.

[smn] KARL FENNING,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

